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THE CONTRACEPTIVE ACTION OF THE COPPER IUD IN THE RAT

Summary.: Experiments are described that were designed to show the time and site of the contraceptive action of an intrauterine copper device in the rat. The IUD had no effect on fertilization. Progressively fewer embryos survived, the later the device was removed during the afternoon and evening of the 4th day of pregnancy. The presence of the IUD for the first few hours only of embryonic life completely suppressed implantation, causing death of the embryos. Exposure of the pseudopregnant uterus to copper for the same period was unable to affect the decidual response to traumatization. It was concluded that the contraceptive action of the copper is due to the fact that its presence results in an embryotoxic environment which causes the death of the embryos before any noticeable effect on the endometrium. As the embryos are not killed immediately they enter the uterine lumen, it is likely that death occurs at a time in the development of the embryo when it becomes sensitive to the toxins. Such a time could be the period of transition from the morula stage to the blastocyst.